Los Angeles Pounded by Heavy Rain; More on the Way

Let's build an ark! Forecasters said storms lasting through Friday could drop a total of 20 inches of rain on Southern California. Four winter storms are slamming into Southern California, dumping record rain on the Los Angeles area where only months before raging fires burned away mountainside ground cover. Today the second of the four storm system is sweeping across Southern California prompting power outages, mud flows and frustrating commutes. Even stronger storms, with heavy rain and powerful winds, are forecast to hit the region Wednesday and Thursday.

Still vulnerable to mudslides were residents in foothill areas torched by last year's Station fire. That 160,000-acre blaze destroyed about 80 homes in Los Angeles County. Scores of residents from those neighborhoods had been urged to evacuate. The evacuation orders were called because communities below wildfire-scarred mountains are at risk of debris flows and flash floods.

Winds and rain also left many in the dark Monday. More than 53,000 customers have lost power because of the rain in Southern California with more than 23,000 customers STILL without power in southern California as of 10 p.m. Monday PT (1 a.m. Tuesday ET), according to Lois Bruce, spokeswoman for Southern California Edison.

People here really go crazy when it rains. LA's mayor warns residents not to go outside if they don't have to...don't leave the house? Are you serious? It is rain! The news doesn't help the situation, they've been covering the rain like a hurricane is coming. Since I grew up on the east coast this seems very funny to me. What would happen if it ever snowed in LA? Perish the thought, there would be mass hysteria. People here have ALOT of trouble driving in the rain, life would come to a complete hault I am sure.

Needless to say, with no indoor or covered arena I will not be riding for a while. The horses are all snug in thier dry warm stalls, however, I think they would rather be outside running around in the mud. Sorry, handwalking and saddlewalking the property only for a while. The rings have inches of standing water as well as the paddocks. Amazingly, yesterday there was a break in the rain, and I was able to get them both out to stretch thier legs. Mazzy didn't care much and was pleasant to walk, Kylie wanted to plow me over. Better get used to it girls, I think you may be in for a while.

Luckily, I am far from a mudslide prone area!

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No riding for a while

Our arenas are under water with another storm on the horizon. We are getting unusually cold weather too. Hoping for warmer temperatures and sunny skies!

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Summertime!?!

Oh where, oh where have you gone? Thick clouds, fog and drizzle...I know "June Gloom" comes every year, but really I think I've had enough of this depressing weather! I haven't seen the sun in a week. This is the gloomiest of all June Glooms I can remember. From May to November the weather is pretty much the same here (sunny), and I like it that way. Usually the weatherman is questioning his right to exist. I wouldn't do well in Seattle, this weather definitely effects my mood.

I hardly want to leave the house, and Kylie doesn't much want to been ridden in the drizzle either, but I am off to go ride her anyway.

Road to the barn (through my windshield)

Daylilly with raindrops

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After the rain comes the rainbow. Political rant

These aren't the best pictures because I was taking them while driving on the freeway (probably not the smartest idea). We have been hit with quite a bit of rain lately. i would rather dwell on that than all of the horrible politics that are going on. BUT I must rant here for a few minutes....

California is a MESS!!!!

California lawmakers have agreed on a budget framework that, if approved, would raise taxes to the tune of $14 billon. Vehicle license fees would nearly double, going from the current rate of 0.65% to 1.15% of the value of a car or truck. The sales tax would increase by 1 cent, raising the rate in Los Angeles County to 9.75%. Gasoline taxes would increase by 12 cents a gallon. And Californians would pay a new surcharge up to 5% on their personal income taxes. That’s right: they’re planning to tax our taxes. This is so frustrating! California already has the highest income taxes and the highest state sales tax.

Not only is California planning to raise taxes, they currently cannot pay back the taxpayers whom have been overcharged (like me). The refunds are in the form of IOU's! The problem is the bloated spending bills we have. This state is all about helping the poor and illegal. STOP SPENDING MONEY YOU DON’T HAVE! "Cut taxes, cut spending" is a nice slogan, yet these same legislators are taking home $162.50 tax free per diem each day they stonewall the vote.

It is shameful and embarrassing that the elected legislators and Governor cannot resolve the budget crisis in California. California's budget deficit has swollen to $42 Billion. The state also has nearly 3 million illegal immigrants that cost taxpayers approximately $13.1 billion each year. Illegal immigrants are not the sole cause of the state's deficit. But they are a huge drain.

*Educating the children of illegal immigrants is the largest cost, estimated at $7.7 billion each year.
*Free medical care for illegal immigrants (who do not pay taxes) and incarceration of those who have committed crimes are the next two largest expenses.
*The state is spending $775 million on Medi-Cal healthcare for illegal immigrants, according to the legislative analyst.
*There are roughly 19,000 illegal immigrants in state prisons, representing 11% of all inmates. That's costing $970 million during the current fiscal year.
*So-called emergency services are a huge state cost: $536 million. Prenatal care is $59 million. Not counted in the overall total is the cost of baby delivery -- $108 million -- because the newborns aren't illegal immigrants. The state also pays $47 million for programs that Washington does not require: Non-emergency care (breast and cervical cancer treatment), $25 million; long-term nursing home care, $19 million; abortions, $3 million.
*Illegal immigrants aren't entitled to welfare, called CalWORKs. But their citizen children are. Roughly 190,000 kids are receiving welfare checks that pass through their parents. The cost: about $500 million, according to the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst's Office.

This $9 billion figure does not include other expenses that are difficult to measure, such as special English instruction, school lunch programs, and welfare benefits for American workers displaced by illegal immigrant workers. I’m sure there is an answer in here somewhere. California state officials need to acknowledge the fiscal impact of illegal immigration and remove the welcome mat to those who are not entitled to residence, employment or most benefits.

To make matters even worse, a big share of the financial burden of raising Octomom's 14 children could fall on the shoulders of California's taxpayers. Even before the 33-year-old single, unemployed mother gave birth to octuplets last month, she had been caring for her six other children with the help of $490 a month in food stamps, plus Social Security disability payments for three of the youngsters (in California, a low-income family can receive Social Security payments of up to $793 a month for each disabled child. Three children would amount to $2,379). The public aid will almost certainly be increased with the new additions to her family. Also, the hospital where the octuplets are expected to spend seven to 12 weeks has requested reimbursement from Medi-Cal, the state's Medicaid program, for care of the premature babies, according to the Los Angeles Times. The cost has not been disclosed. This is disgusting! It's my opinion that a woman's right to reproduce should be limited to a number which the parents can pay for.

Sorry, that is way longer than I intended it to be. I guess I have some pent up anger on these issues!

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Snow in Southern California

Chad took this picture up near Big Bear yesterday when he went snowboarding.

Crazy weather here! Lots of road closures creating massive traffic backups below the passes. Interstate 15 is closed over Cajon Pass east of Los Angeles, I-5 is closed through the Grapevine area and Highway 14 is closed into Palmdale and Lancaster. Snow was even seen late this afternoon in Malibu and the National Weather Service says more severe cold is on the way. Heavy rain fell in parts of Southern California throughout the day.

New snow reports (as of 4pm this afternoon).

Los Angeles County mountains and high deserts

Lake Los Angeles (about 2500 ft).. 8 inches

Malibu Hills (just below 2000 ft). .5 inches

Frazier Park (5000 ft)... ... ... ... 12 inches

Pearblossom (about 3100 ft)... ... . 9 inches

Wrightwood (about 6100 ft)... ... .. 20 inches

*palmdale (about 2200 ft)... ... ... 6 inches

*record snow in Palmdale is 14.3 inches in 1974

No snow at our house, but alot of rain!

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